Electrical connector with modular housing for accommodating various contact layouts

Abstract

The disclosure relates to an electrical connector having an electrical contact assembly housed within a cavity of a connector shell. The contact assembly includes a contact housing with a core extending in an axial direction and a plurality of fins radiating outwardly from the core, each of the fins separating adjacent housing-receiving cavities from one another. In an assembled configuration, a first plurality of electrical contacts is housed within a first housing receiving cavity and a second plurality of electrical contacts is housed within a second housing receiving cavity, where the first and second plurality of electrical contacts are different in type and structure from one another such that the electrical connector accommodates multiple contact layouts to improve overall functionality.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. An electrical connector comprising:
 a shell having a cavity; and 
 an electrical contact assembly housed within the cavity of the shell, the electrical contact assembly including:
 a contact housing including a core extending along an axial direction and a plurality of fins radiating outwardly from the core, each of the fins separating adjacent housing-receiving cavities from one another; 
 a first housing structure having a first plurality of electrical contacts housed therein, the first housing structure seated within a first housing-receiving cavity of the contact housing; and 
 a second housing structure having a second plurality of electrical contacts housed therein, the second housing structure seated within a second housing-receiving cavity of the contact housing, wherein the first and second plurality of electrical contacts are different from one another, wherein the first and second housing structures each includes a flange extending outwardly therefrom, the electrical connector further including a fastener extending into the core of the contact housing, the fastener engaging the flange of the first and second housing structures to retain the first and second housing structures within the contact housing. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The electrical connector of  claim 1 , further comprising a third housing structure having a third plurality of electrical contacts housed therein, the third housing structure seated within a third housing-receiving cavity of the contact housing, wherein the first, second, and third plurality of electrical contacts are different from one another. 
     
     
       3. The electrical connector of  claim 2 , further comprising a fourth housing structure having a fourth plurality of electrical contacts housed therein, the fourth housing structure seated within a fourth housing-receiving cavity of the contact housing, wherein the first, second, third, and fourth plurality of electrical contacts are different from one another. 
     
     
       4. The electrical connector of  claim 1 , the first housing structure further including a first housing subassembly including a first plurality of contact-receiving cavities extending therethrough along an axial direction, wherein each electrical contact of the first plurality of electrical contacts is seated within a corresponding one of the first plurality of contact-receiving cavities. 
     
     
       5. The electrical connector of  claim 4 , further comprising a contact-retention clip seated within each of the first plurality of contact-receiving cavities, each contact-retention clip coupled to a corresponding one of the electrical contacts to retain the electrical contact within the contact-receiving cavity. 
     
     
       6. The electrical connector of  claim 4 , the first housing structure further including a second housing subassembly including a second plurality of contact-receiving cavities extending therethrough along the axial direction, wherein the first and second plurality of contact-receiving cavities are co-aligned when the first and second housing subassemblies are coupled, and wherein each electrical contact of the first plurality of electrical contacts is seated within a corresponding one of the first and second plurality of contact-receiving cavities. 
     
     
       7. The electrical connector of  claim 6 , the first housing structure further including a third housing subassembly including a third plurality of contact-receiving cavities extending therethrough along the axial direction, wherein the first, second, and third plurality of contact-receiving cavities are co-aligned when the first, second, and third housing subassemblies are coupled, and wherein each electrical contact of the first plurality of electrical contacts is seated within a corresponding one of the first, second, and third plurality of contact-receiving cavities. 
     
     
       8. The electrical connector of  claim 7 , wherein the second housing subassembly further includes a wall extending around an exterior boundary thereof, and wherein a peripheral surface of the third housing subassembly is seated against the wall when the second and third housing subassemblies are coupled.